Charlevoix & Petoskey
Petoskey
A walkable bay town for stone hunting, shopping the Gaslight District and riding the Little Traverse Wheelway, with historic Bay View next door.
Under a mile away (straight line)
River · Charlevoix & Petoskey
Bear River
A short, fast river through Petoskey, with a quarter-mile whitewater course, a canoe livery for easy family floats and brook trout above the dam.
Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
Come to the Bear River for whitewater in the middle of town, or for an easy family float. It is a short river, and its last mile drops fast through Petoskey, where the city has built a park around it with a quarter-mile course of drops and rapids. For something gentler, the Bear River Canoe Livery rents canoes, kayaks and paddleboards for one-, two- or four-hour trips in season.
The river runs about 15 miles from Walloon Lake to Little Traverse Bay. Over that final mile through town it falls nearly 80 feet, by a 2011 Northern Express count. The Bear River Valley Recreation Area follows it there: a mostly natural park of steep bluffs, boardwalks and lookouts. The lower part of the whitewater course was laid out so paddlers can carry their boats back up and run it again. The map pin marks the recreation area.
Not a paddler? The riverside path works for walking, biking and birding in the warm months and for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in winter. Its downtown end, off East Lake Street, sits next to Bayfront Park, where you can pick up the Little Traverse Wheelway along the shore of the bay.
Anglers should know where the dam is. The Bear once floated logs to the bay and was lined with dams, and all but two have been removed. The larger one, at Lake Street near the mouth, keeps salmon, steelhead and sea lamprey out of the upper river. Above the dam, the river supports native brook trout. Local fishing lists for the river name brook trout, salmon and steelhead.
On the water
Public access
The City of Petoskey's Bear River Valley Recreation Area follows the river through the middle of town between Lake and Sheridan streets. You get about a mile and a half of riverside path, open grass and shelters, and people use it for hiking, cross-country skiing, fishing, rafting and nature study.
Paddling
The quarter-mile whitewater course in the recreation area draws experienced kayakers, and whitewater kayak rentals are available for it. For something gentler, a Petoskey canoe livery runs canoe and kayak trips on what it calls an easy-flowing, family-friendly river.
Fishing
The Lake Street dam near the mouth stops salmon and steelhead from moving upstream. Above the dam, the river supports native brook trout. Check current Michigan DNR rules before fishing.
Stocking
Brown trout were stocked every year from 2015 to 2026, and rainbow trout (Michigan strain) from 2015 to 2020 and 2022 to 2026.
Boat, kayak and paddleboard rentals
- Bear River Canoe Livery
Canoe, kayak and paddleboard rentals on the Bear River, listed for trips of one, two or four hours, May through October. Call ahead.
Listed because their own sites say they rent on this water. Not an endorsement, and we have no ties to them. Check with them for what is available.
Fishing, launching at a state site or parking at a state park? See licenses and passes for what you need before you go.
Anything not listed here is unverified. Do not assume public access across private riverbanks. Check the Michigan DNR boating access listings and the current fishing regulations.
Through the seasons
Winter
Bring skis or snowshoes. The riverside path is used for both, and downtown is a short walk away.
Location
Map of Bear River
2 places on an OpenStreetMap map
The pin marks one well-known point on the river, not its full course.
Places to stay near Bear River
Riverfront homes and cabins are listed by the local rental managers and booking sites below.
Hotels and inns
Upscale
Inn at Bay HarborAAA Three Diamond · Featured by the Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau
Mid-range
Hotel PerryFeatured by the Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau among historic hotels and inns
Budget
Holiday Inn Express and Suites PetoskeyAAA Three Diamond
Search all hotels in Petoskey: Booking.com · Expedia · Hotels.com · Google Hotels
We don’t take bookings or earn anything from these links. Rates, availability and any booking problems are handled by the booking site.
More places to stay in Petoskey
- Bay View Inn · A Victorian country inn from the 1880s in the Bay View Association, run for more than 60 years by Stafford Smith and his family before new owners took over.
- Terrace Inn · A historic hotel in the Bay View Association that opened on June 1, 1911, and still houses the 1911 Restaurant.
- Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau lodging · The visitors bureau's guide to hotels, historic inns, resorts, condos and vacation rentals around Petoskey, Harbor Springs and Bay Harbor.
Vacation rentals
- Holiday Vacation Rentals · holidayvacationrental.com
A Harbor Springs area rental manager with homes, condos and cottages around Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Charlevoix and Boyne City.
- Northern Michigan Escapes · northernmichiganescapes.com
A Charlevoix-based vacation rental and property management company serving Charlevoix, Petoskey, Harbor Springs and nearby areas.
Nearby towns
Nearby attractions
Straight-line distances from the map point.
Trail
Little Traverse Wheelway
A paved, non-motorized trail along Little Traverse Bay linking Charlevoix, Petoskey and Harbor Springs, much of it with open views of the water.
Under a mile away (straight line)
More lakes and rivers nearby
Bay · Charlevoix & Petoskey
Little Traverse Bay
A Lake Michigan bay with marinas in Petoskey, Harbor Springs and Bay Harbor, swim beaches at the state park and Zorn Park, and Petoskey stones in the shallows.
- All-sports
- Swim beach
- Public launch
Lake · Charlevoix & Petoskey
Round Lake (Emmet County)
A small, shallow all-sports lake behind the Petoskey State Park dunes, with a small DNR launch and a nature preserve with easy trails and a boardwalk.
- All-sports
- Public launch
Lake · Charlevoix & Petoskey
Walloon Lake
A deep, clear all-sports lake south of Petoskey with marinas at Walloon Lake village, small township beaches and launches, and ice fishing in winter.
- All-sports
- Swim beach
- Public launch
- Rentals